Feed table



C. F. BAMFORD FEED TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 194'? d N R. w 1% m m A w W s Q Z8 3% 0 m 0 lllhll MN u W L? WV of n 1W W f C n v I v we;

C. F. BAMFORD Jan. 2, 1951 FEED TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1947 INVENTOR. Charles ZBamford Hi2 g.

Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE FEED TABLE Charles F. Bamford, Portland, Oreg.

Application March 25, 1947, Serial No. 737,043

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a feed table for any type of production machine in which it is necessary to separate the feed table from the production machine at frequent intervals. It has been considered necessary under such circumstances, heretofore, either to make the feed table portable, that is, of such light construction that it may be manually moved out of juxtaposition with the producing machine, or to provide some type of mechanism by which power may be utilized for spacing said machines apart.

I have discovered that if a feed table is formed upon a stationary frame having a top reciprocably mounted thereon and having feeding belts rotatable about said top, said top may be shifted and the belts may be driven by a single endless belt or chain. This may be done only if the operating drag of the belt elements is substantially greater than the frictional drag of the top upon said frame. operates between two limits and it is desirable that it move with little friction. If the feeding belts drag upon the top of the feed table, they interpose an operating drag or friction which is substantially greater than the frictional drag of the top over the fixed portion of the frame. This is particularly true if rollers or anti-friction bearings are provided between the frame and its top. Then, if the driving motor is reversed after it has been off bearing, for example, the first movement would be that the table top is moved away from the discharge side of the machine until it reaches the other limit of its travel. The belts then would tend to feed towards the machine, which is not necessary in the usual case. The top i spaced from the machine and access can be had between the feed table and the production machine.

All that is necessary to do to cause the table top to move back into its. original position is .to energize the motor in the direction it first turned to discharge material away from the machine. The rotation of the motor and its operating gear will first cause the table top to move back into it original position against the stop, and will then then cause the belt to rotate. All of these things may be done without any loss of power, any complicated structures, and very i an outfeed table embodying my invention, said.

That is to say, the table figure being taken on the line l--l in Fig. 4; it shows the table top moved towards the left, which is the position it would occupy if it were moving boards or similar articles from left to right as shown diagrammatically by arrows;

'Fig. 2 is a similar section, except that it shows the position of the top as it would be arranged when the direction of the belt is reversed; at the right between Figs. 1 and 2 is shown two lines to indicate the degree of movement of the top caused by the reversal of the motor;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 33 in Fig. 2, showing the manner in which rollers are provided in guides to cause the table to move along a true path and with the least frictional drag;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation taken substantially on the line 5- in Fig. 1, portions, however, being shown broken away to disclose operating details; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 in Fig. 1. showing the arrangement of the operating parts of said feed table.

A feed table embodying my invention comprises a fixed frame I, preferably made of a number of joined structural members. It is equally feasible, however, to cast it of iron, or to provide any suitable frame which has the required strength and rigidity. When made of structural frame members, said frame preferably comprises four corner members 2, 2a, 2b and 20, which are tied together at the side of the frame by a pair of longitudinal members 3 and 3a. The ends are tied together by two transverse members It and 4a.

A motor. such as an electric motor 5, is carried by said frame. and some type of speed reducer 3 is operatively joined thereto by a belt I. This cuts the motor speed to a speed usable in connection with the feeding and manipulation of said feed table. Extending from the speed reducer on a, shaft 6a thereof is a sprocket or pulley 3. The drawings show this and its associated flexible transmission element in more or less diagrammatic form. It is to be understood that thi connection might be a pulley and belt, -a sprocket and chain, a link belt and drive, or any other ty e of power transmission which is deemed efficient and appropriate. Adjacent said mechanism is a vertical structural member 9, a short angular support iii, and a transverse angular sup ort ll, said parts being .ioined together. As is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, pulleys or sprockets l2 and !2a are rotatably supported on the angular support it. They are spaced above and straddle the pulley or sprocket which is directly joined to the speed reducer 6 and which serves as the main power take-off.

Longitudinally slidable on said fixed frame I and supported by a plurality of rollers 25 is a top structure I3. This comprises a roof plate I4 extending completely across the top and having pendent side edges Ila. Said roof structure is strengthened at spaced intervals by transverse stiffening angles I5. A channel element I6 at each side is welded to the pendent side edges Ma and it is joined to the transverse strengthening angles I5, so as to provide a strong and rigid structure. Said channel elements serve as guide. ways for supporting rollers 26 which they engage. End caps II, in pair at each end, provide journals for shafts Iii-I811, which carry a series of crown faced pulleys I9, I911 and I92). Said crown faced pulleys are spaced apart on the shaft as indicated in 4, and each carries an endless belt 20, or 251). Said belts are quite wide relatively to the width of the table top; that is, they occu y a substantial portion of the overall width thereof, as is shown most clearly in Figs. 4.- and 5;

On the shaft I8, also, is a pulley or sprocket 2|, and spaced therefrom on the channel I6, about two-thirds of the way to the other end of the top structure I3, is a bracket 22 carrying a pulley or sprocket 23. Located adjacent the pulley or sprocket 2! is a hold-down pulley or s rocket 24. An endless operating chain or belt 25 passes in succession about the driving sprocket or pulley a (on the speed reducer), the pulley I2, pulley or sprocket 2i, under the hold-down pulley or sprocket 24, about the pulley or sprocket '23, and then about the pul ey or sprocket IZa. Power thus is transm tted from the motor, through the s eed reducer, to the main drive sprocket or pulley 8, thence through said endless operating chain or belt to the sprocket or pulley 2I. which is keyed to shaft I8. This provides a drive for the belts 2! 29a and 20b, and also provides means by which the top structure I3 may be moved upon the frame I. As has been stated, L

the top structure is supported on said frame I by rollers 26. These are carried by shafts 21, supported by the upper transverse members 40., in the manner shown in Fig. 4. That is to say, each shaft 2! is welded or otherwise secured to one of the transverse members do. and a roller 26 is freely mounted on each of the ends thereof, being held in proper runnin relation, within the outstanding flan es I Id of channel I3, upon the reduced ortion 21a of the shaft, by a nut and washer 2%. The channel element I6 is welded to the pen-"lent side edge Ma of the roof plate I4, and provides a smooth. straight track which the rol ers engage. There is sufiicient workin clearance between the rol ers and the internal faces of t e lateral flanges I ia of the channel so that proper operation may result. That is to say, there is sufiicient clearance to provide for operation, but not too much clearance to produce loose or sloppy action.

Extending through the lateral flanges IEa of the channel e ement I5 are bolts or other types of stops 25, which engage the rollers 25. That is to say, said bolts or other stops prevent the rollers from moving past the point where they intersect the chann l iron. In Figs. 1 and 2, the rollers are shown in abutment with said stops, left and right, respectively. In Fig. 1, a lefthand roller is shown in abutment with the stop which defines the ultimate movement ofthe top structure towards the left, as viewed in that lieure. In Fig. 2, another roller is shown in abutment with a stop, and this represents the maximum movement of the top structure towards the right. This degree of shift is shown diagrammatically by the value as shown between two arrows leading to two extension lines. The limits, of course, may be arbitrarily set, and this determines the travel of the table top. These limits may be varied somewhat widely. A movement of thirty-six to forty-eight inches is usually suflicient, because the principal purpose for shifting said table top is merely to provide access, and this much space normally is sufficient.

The shift in direction of the top, and the general manner in which said feed table operates, are as follows:

The motor 5 is reversible, and to this end, I show a reversing switch 5a diagrammatically extending from the side of the table, having a switch finger 5b thereon. Thisv may be such as a drum-type reversing switch, and the operation thereof is well known in the art. I have not attempted to disclose the electric circuits for the drive, because they, also, are well known and play no specific part in my present invention. Sufiice it to say that the switch is capable of stopping the motor or supplying power to the motor. to cause it to rotate in either direction. In Fig. 1, power has been applied to the motor, causing the endless operating chain or belt to move clockwise about its course over the several sprockets or'pulleys. It will also cause the belts 20, 20a and 29b to move similarly, these movements being indicated by arrows in said figure. In Fig. 2, the operation has been reversed, as is indicated in arrows, to cause said parts to be rotated counter-clockwise.

Let us'assume that in Fig. 1 the feed table is ofi" hearing from a production machine discharging from a point close to the section line 44. If it is a slicer, the sl des are discharged onto the top and-the belts discharge them towards the right and over the end at the right of the top structure I3. It isnow desired to move said table top away from said machine. This is accomplished merely by reversing the motor switch. This will cause the table top to move to the position shown in Fig. 2. It, of course, will cause the belts to rotate in the opposite direction after the table is arranged at Fig. 2, but this is of no consequence because it is out of position. When the motor is again reversed, the table is moved back to its original posit on, namely, the one shown in Fig. 1. This is brought about by reason of the fact that the belts 20, 20a and 2% exercise a substantial operating drag as they move across the table top I3. The movement of the top structure upon its frame offers less operating drag, because said rollers are of substantial diameter and they rotate quite freely. Also, the various pulleys and sprockets which the endless operating cha n or belt 25 engage are quite small and are preferably provided with anti-friction bearings. Thus, when power is applied at the shaft I8, both to drive the belts 20, 20a and 20b and the remainder of the endless operating chain or belt 25', the great resistance to movement of said belts causes the power applied through said endless operating chain or belt first to pull the table in the direction opposite to which the belts tend to move. When the table top has moved to its limits, however, then the power of the motor is free wholly to move the belts and does so. This operating drag, although being initially substantial, does not absorb any substantial portion of the power which should be applied to the belts for moving products thereover. That is to say, the belts exercise substantial stat c friction but little moving friction, as the table top is smooth and the belts move quite readily thereover. Said static friction, however, is sufficient to permit the tensioning of the endless operating chain or belt to sh ft the table top initially before power is applied to the belts 2 251a and 201).

I claim:

1. A maninulable feed t ble comprising a frame. a structural ton iriably mounted there on, said too bein su ported to reciprocate eas ly alon a fixed path bet een two termini. iournaled rollers at the ends of said structural too, an end ss belt e ement encircling roll rs and frictionally engaging the latter, said belt 61vment overlying and bearing upon said top inte mediate said rollers and defining, with said top, a work supporting surface, a rotary operating element secured to one of said journaled rollers, a motor-driven operating e ement secured to said frame, and an endless flexible transmission member engaging said operating elements, the operating drag of said belt element being substantially greater than the frictional drag of said top upon said frame, said transmission element being operatively arranged to shift the top in one direction and to drive the belt in the opposite direction, whereby when power is applied, said rotary operating element tends to travel along the endless flexible transmission member in a direction opposite to that in which the belt element tends to move over the table top, and to shift the table top to the limit of its travel in that direction.

2. A manipulable feed table comprising a frame, a structural top slidably mounted thereon, said top being supported to reciprocate easily along a fixed path between two termini, journaled rollers at the ends of said structural top, a plurality of endless belt elements encircling said rollers and frictionally engaging the latter, said belt elements overlying and bearing upon said top intermediate said rollers and defining, with said top, a work supporting surface, a rotary operating element secured to one of said journaled rollers, a motordriven operating element secured to said frame, and an endless flexible transmission member engaging said operating elements, the operating drag of said belt elements being substantially greater than the frictional drag of said top upon said frame, said transmission element being operatively arranged to shift the top in one direction and to drive the belt in the opposite direction, whereby when power is applied, said rotary operating element tends to travel along the endless flexible transmission member in a direction opposite to that in which the belt elements tend to move over the table top, and to shift the table top to the limit of its travel in that direction.

3. A manipulable feed table comprising a frame, a structural top slidably mounted thereon, said top being supported toreciprocate easily along a fixed path between two termini, journaled rollers at the ends of said structural top,

6 and an endless belt element encircling said rollers and frictionally engaging the latter, said belt element overlying and bearing upon said top intermediate said rollers and defining, with said top, work supporting surface, a rotary operating element secured to one of said journaled rollers, a motor-driven operating element secured to said frame, an endless flexible transmission mem-- ber engaging said operating elements, and a series of guides on said frame and upon said top, respectivcly, defining a course having one elongated span extending longitudinally of the path of said siida-ble top, said guides holding said flexible transmission member in engagement with the rotary operating element independent of the position of the top with respect to said table or the movement of said top. traversing said reciprocal path, the operating drag of said belt element being substantially greater than the frictional drag of said top upon frame, said transmission element being operatively arranged to shift the top in one direction and to drive the belt in the opposite direction, whereby when power is applied, said rotary operating element tends to travel along the endless flexible transmission member in a direction opposite to that in which the belt element tends to move over the table top, and to shift the table top to the limit of its travel in that direction.

4. A manipulable feed table comprising a frame, a structural top slidably mounted thereon, said top being supported to reciprocate easily along a fixed path between two termini, journaled rollers at the ends of said structural top, an endless belt element encircling said rollers and friction ally engaging the latter, said belt element overlying and bearing upon said top intermediate said rollers and defining, with said top, a work supporting surface, a motor carried by said frame, a rotary operating member driven by said motor, a rotary operating element secured to one of said ,iournaled rollers, and an endless flexible transmission member engaging said operating elements, the operating drag of said belt element being substantially greater than the frictional drag of said top upon said frame, said transmission element being operatively arranged to shift the top in one direction and to drive the belt in the opposite direction, whereby when power is applied, said rotary operating element tends to travel along the endless flexible transmission member in. a direction opposite to that in which the belt element tends to move over the table top, and to shift the table top to the limit of its travel in that direction.

CHARLES F. BAMFORD.

REFERENCES CITED foliowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 769,947 Kramer Sept. 13, 1904 833,456 Goodfellow Oct. 16, 1906 1,050,400 Steele Jan. 14, 1913 1,086,522 Gilman Feb. 10, 191% 1,089,028 Wittenburg Mar. 3, 1914; 

